Description
Life span: Up to 24 years
The Black Kite is a medium-sized raptor (bird of prey). It looks almost black up close, with a slight brown ring on the shoulder. The underparts, neck, and head are where you’ll usually find the rufous and light brown dots on the dark brown feathers. The tail has forked form and darker brown bands. The bird that gets its name from this trait is known as a fork-tailed kite. The golden cere is on a black beak. Their prey can be easily caught and held in place by their razor-sharp talons. The sexual dimorphism in black kites is quite minor, with females being somewhat larger than males but having the same color. Juveniles of black kites frequently have lighter coloring and smaller forked tails than adult black kites.
Native Region/Habitat
The species can be found in Australia, Africa, Asia, and Europe. The populations in the tropics live there permanently, but those in the temperate regions sometimes move. While birds from warmer regions like India and Australia are not migratory, birds from Europe and Central Asia do migrate to the tropics for the winter.
The habitat of black kites spans a wide range of environments. Most of them are found in open areas with quick access to water sources. Near river borders, which provide crucial resources like fresh water and fish, black kites are regularly spotted. Wetlands are another location where black kites congregate. Black kites can also be spotted in large savannas, wooded areas, and occasionally even in major cities. When there is an abundance of food, they may reside in Asian and African settlements.
Behavior
Black kites typically live in communities. They might live alone or in smaller groups during the mating season, though. Sibling dominance is determined by both the order in which the birds hatch and the egg mass because larger eggs frequently result in larger birds. The advantage that early hatchlings have over later hatchlings in terms of learning also contributes to the emergence of this hierarchy.Black kites are believed to only link up with one spouse at a time and are monogamous. Black kites perform ceremonial airborne courtship that includes loud calling to one another.
In addition, they engage in the dangerous activity known as grappling, which involves locking their feet together in midair and falling backward. In March, traditional courting rites typically begin. Black kites are frequently seen gliding and flying on thermals as they hunt for prey. They have buoyant flight and glide effortlessly, which makes turning around in flight simple.
As a pet/In captivity
Kites should not be kept as pets. They require a lot of meat and a lot of space to fly because they are predatory birds. Additionally, killing, harming, or capturing black kites is frequently prohibited in many places.
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